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How to get through the holiday season

I am sure you can all agree that 2017 has raced by and as we near the end of the year and the start of the holiday season we have some advice on how to help you get through this busy time of the year in one piece and enjoy this festive time.

The holiday season is not restricted solely to December – it starts a few weeks before December with school festivities, end of year work functions and social engagements crammed in before everyone goes away in their different directions on their holidays. In order to get through this busy season our top tip is to be organised.

If you are organised you can handle last minute items. Print out a calendar and write down all your plans on the calendar so that you can oversee the upcoming days and weeks and thus plan your life accordingly. When you write down your plans, put your schedule on the fridge for everyone to see. Now that you have your plans written down you can start to plan around each event.

  1. Buy any gifts ahead of time.

Spend a morning going shopping for gifts and cards, (Birthday presents, Christmas presents or Thank You gifts for teachers). Once you have a stock pile of gifts you can wrap them and attach a gift tag to each gift and store them in the cupboard ready to use when you attend any event. If you won’t be able to remember which gift is which, we suggest purchasing some gift bags which will allow you the opportunity to place your gift quickly into a bag, ensuring that the correct person receives the correct gift without the stress to buy and wrap a gift at the last minute. If you are strapped for ideas on what to buy people for a gift, here are some ideas. A bottle of wine or alcohol such as whiskey or craft gin. A box of luxury chocolates, a tea towel for the kitchen, a beach towel for their holiday or maybe a gift voucher from the app store for an online purchase.

  1. Cook some meals ahead of schedule.

You will not be busy every night of the week so why not take the nights off by having a healthy home cooked meal ready to go by preparing some meals in advance and storing them in the freezer. If you are hosting friends and family for a meal you can quickly and easily take a meal out of the freezer so you can have a relaxed meal with your guests while still enjoying your guests company without slaving away in the kitchen. Here are some ideas that freeze really well and everyone enjoys are…

– Chilli Con Carne
– Curry (Thai and Indian varieties)
– Lasagne
– Pasta Sauce
– Mince for Tacos/ Burritos
– Quiche
– Cakes and more

All you need to do is take the food out the freezer in the morning so that it can defrost in time. Heat up the oven and pop in the meal. All you need to do is prepare a salad or the rice or pasta to enjoy a great homemade meal without the fuss.

  1. Be safe and responsible.

With all the festivities that happen around the end of the year ensure that you keep yourself and family safe. Do not drink and drive. Rather book an uber or taxi service to escort you to and from your venue safely. It is not worth getting into trouble with the law or even worse causing an accident due to drinking too much. With modern day technology it is easy and convenient to book a shuttle service with a click of a button.

  1. Look after your health.

The holiday season can be a crazy time of the year and you do not want to get sick or injured due to failing to prepare for this busy time. Take a multivitamin every morning to help keep your immune system and vitality levels high. You are bound to eat out a lot during this time so ensure you keep yourself and your body replenished.

Try get enough sleep. As we have mentioned before it is a busy time but try ensure you get 8 hours of sleep a night to keep your energy levels up and to give your body time to recover from long days and heavy nights.

Be active. Do not forget your exercise routine – it is really important to keep exercising during this busy time. You will allow your mind and body some space to breathe and think just for yourself. You will increase your endorphins (the feel good chemical released when exercising) as well as help burn any excess calories that you have consumed with indulgent meals out.

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season celebrating life and creating magical memories.